Bridge Hot Springs

Bridge Hot Springs — also known as Elk Flats — takes its name from its setting: user-built pools on both sides of the South Fork Boise River, beneath the bridge just before Featherville, Idaho. A popular campground within walking distance supplies most of the soakers, and late summer is both the busiest and the best time: the pools submerge during spring runoff and can run too cool early in the season, so the dependable soaks come once the river drops.

Pool Condition

Rock- and sand-walled pools with sandy, gravel, and rock bottoms, rebuilt by users as conditions allow. Pool size and temperature vary per season — after runoff, campers have been known to divert a main outflow into a bankside channel big enough for a dozen soakers.

Seasonal Notes

Accessible all year in principle, but the pools submerge during spring runoff; late season (late summer into fall) is the reliable window.

Camping

A popular campground sits within walking distance, in the Boise and Sawtooth National Forests that meet in this area.

Bridge Hot Springs Soak Stats

• Access Type: Roadside
• Public Land: Boise National Forest
• Elevation: 4,340 ft
• GPS: 43.540, -115.288
• Water Temperature: Varies per season
• Water Clarity: Clear
• Visibility: High
• Odor(s): None noticed
• Nearest Town: Featherville
• Wildlife: Deer, elk
• Usage Level: Heavy (during season)